A new set of harsher punishments for foreigners who work illegally is necessary in the name of protecting the “lives and property of Thai people,” a Labor Ministry spokesman said Wednesday

The revised labor law, which came into effect Friday, prescribes tougher jail terms and fines for both foreign employees and their Thai employers who violate visa and work permit regulations. The same law also added more severe punishment for those engaged in human trafficking.

“This new law will be applied to foreigners of all nationalities, not just the three neighboring countries,” spokesman Ananchai Uthaipatanacheep said by phone. “Whether you are from Vietnam or Russia, if you do something wrong, you will get the tougher punishment.”

Foreigners caught working in Thailand without a work permit face a maximum jail terms of five years and fines up to 100,000 baht. Foreigners who are employed in occupations other than what’s registered on their work permit risk fines up to 100,000 baht, five times as much as previously.

Meanwhile, employers convicted of hiring foreigners without proper registration face a maximum fine of 800,000 baht per worker, or eight times the previous fine of 100,000 baht.

Ananchai said the harsher penalties will weed out foreigners who live or work in Thailand without registering with the authorities, which can threaten the “safety and lives and property of Thai people.”

The spokesman said expats who have valid visas and work permits need not worry.

“If you enter the kingdom legally, and if you possess the proper passports, visas and work permits, I can guarantee you that this new law won’t affect you,” he said.

They just don't really want anyone here now and are slowly tightening the screw.

Problem is, how are you going to get people to do all the jobs the locals are too lazy to do, shun or feel it's beneath them (like construction/working in the fishing industry etc.) and still make it worthwhile so Thailand chugs along. They also forget that many of these workers from neighboring countries will end up just going home as their own countries will soon be needing them to do that same thing at home. Generals often fail to realize that countries don't work in the same way as life in the barracks does.

As for westerners, the only options now are retire with money, be a teacher, work for a multinational, open your own business or be a brief tourist....otherwise frack off.

Spare a thought for all of those poor Thai families that must be so fearful for their lives, imagine the sleepless nights over the prospect of losing their houses to those evil foreigners that haven't got the right paperwork.

Xenophobic fervor at is best.

Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S ThompsonGet out there: On The Road Asia

They should be strict with issuance of visas and WPs. Thailand has over time let too many scumbags enter the country and doing illegal business and scams here. What I don't see is why the rules should be so lax? If you have a right to stay here there will always be a visa for you. If you are on a holiday, it is very suspicious if you need to stay for long periods without visa! What kind of holiday is that? Not many have more than 1 or a few months holiday which easily can be covered by tourist visa with extensions (typically retired people from abroad wishing to stay here for the the winter part in their home countries) . If you're married you can get marriage visa. If you're above 50 years of age, retirement visa. If you have a legit job/company doing legit business, to obtain WP is no problem at all. And if you have a lot of money there are even more options like Thailand Elite, and probably others.

So then we come back to those "young" people which come here and do not want to leave. So why should those be allowed to stay here and don't do anything/work here? Shouldn't they go back to their own countries and work there instead of taking the jobs from the Thais? Or doing something useful other than partying, backpacking, doing nothing etc. etc. etc. without a proper visa (choose whichever suits or add more useless options)???

I have met a few of those which found a girlfriend here and didn't want to leave. But hey, unless they are loaded with cash, how can they afford to stay here anyway? EDU visa sounds great, but how many are here on this visa are really studying? Imho, over many years, most people I've met on this visa have only used it to be able to stay longer and NOT for proper education.

Without making this a too long rant, the cleaning up and enforcing of stricter laws are only beneficial to all of us which stays here long term on proper visas. Too many criminals, pedophiles, people with drug/alcohol issues and scammers have taken to Thailand thinking this is a country they can stay in without any consequences for what they are, do or have done. Let they all be banned from coming here!!!

"Two possibilities exist:
Either we are alone in the universe or we are not.
Both are equally terrifying."
Arthur C. Clarke

They just don't really want anyone here now and are slowly tightening the screw.

Problem is, how are you going to get people to do all the jobs the locals are too lazy to do, shun or feel it's beneath them (like construction/working in the fishing industry etc.) and still make it worthwhile so Thailand chugs along. They also forget that many of these workers from neighboring countries will end up just going home as their own countries will soon be needing them to do that same thing at home. Generals often fail to realize that countries don't work in the same way as life in the barracks does.

As for westerners, the only options now are retire with money, be a teacher, work for a multinational, open your own business or be a brief tourist....otherwise frack off.

They should be strict with issuance of visas and WPs. Thailand has over time let too many scumbags enter the country and doing illegal business and scams here. What I don't see is why the rules should be so lax? If you have a right to stay here there will always be a visa for you. If you are on a holiday, it is very suspicious if you need to stay for long periods without visa! What kind of holiday is that? Not many have more than 1 or a few months holiday which easily can be covered by tourist visa with extensions (typically retired people from abroad wishing to stay here for the the winter part in their home countries) . If you're married you can get marriage visa. If you're above 50 years of age, retirement visa. If you have a legit job/company doing legit business, to obtain WP is no problem at all. And if you have a lot of money there are even more options like Thailand Elite, and probably others.

So then we come back to those "young" people which come here and do not want to leave. So why should those be allowed to stay here and don't do anything/work here? Shouldn't they go back to their own countries and work there instead of taking the jobs from the Thais? Or doing something useful other than partying, backpacking, doing nothing etc. etc. etc. without a proper visa (choose whichever suits or add more useless options)???

I have met a few of those which found a girlfriend here and didn't want to leave. But hey, unless they are loaded with cash, how can they afford to stay here anyway? EDU visa sounds great, but how many are here on this visa are really studying? Imho, over many years, most people I've met on this visa have only used it to be able to stay longer and NOT for proper education.

Without making this a too long rant, the cleaning up and enforcing of stricter laws are only beneficial to all of us which stays here long term on proper visas. Too many criminals, pedophiles, people with drug/alcohol issues and scammers have taken to Thailand thinking this is a country they can stay in without any consequences for what they are, do or have done. Let they all be banned from coming here!!!

The U.S. is the same way and many Asian people come to the U.S. to do illegal business and scams and I think the authorities in the U.S. should round them up and deport them back to their country of origin in Asia, but I know that is very unlikely to happen because the U.S. is a 'Compassionate Country' and they really aren't criminals they're just misunderstood.

Nah, they would just start eliminating Retirement Visas, Business Visas etc. etc.

If you are on a holiday, it is very suspicious if you need to stay for long periods without visa...If you have a right to stay here there will always be a visa for you...And if you have a lot of money there are even more options like Thailand Elite, and probably others.

There's a big, huge, gaping difference between 'having enough money to live without needing to work' and 'being able to afford membership of the Thailand Elite Scam Scheme'

So then we come back to those "young" people which come here and do not want to leave. So why should those be allowed to stay here and don't do anything/work here?

If they can afford to, why shouldn't they?

Shouldn't they go back to their own countries and work there instead of taking the jobs from the Thais?

I've yet to meet a young person living here who's doing anything that would threaten the livelihood of a Thai. I'm sure they exist, somewhere...

Why shouldn't they spend their time partying, backpacking and doing nothing if they can afford to and that's all they want to do? You talk about "without a proper visa", but what "proper visa" would cover this? Not that I'd imagine there are many backpacker party-goers who have visa issues, anyway.... they can go to whatever country they like for as long as they like and come back on a new visa whenever it takes their fancy.

You say "If you have a right to stay here there will always be a visa for you", but this is the year 2017.... there are plenty of people who remotely run businesses in their home country, either hands-on or hands-off, from here. Or are employed in their home country but are able to "work from home" and that home just so happens to be Thailand. They're not taking any jobs away from Thais, they don't do any business with Thai people or companies and many of them are under 50. Which visa is appropriate for such people? If there was an equivalent to the retirement visa that can cover living here... where if you can prove that you have a minimum income of xyz, coming into an account in your name in your home country you are granted stay, then I'd agree that there's an appropriate visa for everybody. But that's unlikely to happen considering the current governance.

Myanmar workers shunned by employers due to tough law
Hundreds of unregistered Myanmar workers on Friday returned home as employees dared not hire them because of tougher punishments under the new executive decree on the recruitment of foreign workers, which imposes fines as high as 800,000 baht.

About 500 illegal Myanmar workers were seen crossing the Moei River to Myawaddy province opposite Tak’s Mae Sot district on Friday. Employers and entrepreneurs have been refusing to hire illegal workers and those who wanted to work in other types of jobs that were not stated in their work permits.

The move came after the executive decree on foreign workers, which took effect on June 23, imposes tougher punishments on those who illegally hire migrant workers or who violate the basic rights of immigrant workers